//------------------------------//
// Drowning In Love 
// Story: Of Laurels & Lace 
// by WritingSpirit 
//------------------------------//

	"Aw!!!! But I already got everything ready for you~~!"

It was in the middle of the night, although both Rarity and Octavia can't fall asleep, especially with all the drama in the Tower Room recently. The both of them huddled together on the bed, their smiles facing towards Rarity's walkie-talkie at the familiar voice that had kept them occupied for the last half an hour.
"Pinkie, why not just get more stuff ready when Octavia and I come back?" the white unicorn said with a smile. 

"After all," Octavia interrupted with a sly grin.
"I think Rarity deserves something bigger than a party."

"Octavia! Great idea!!"

"Now, Pinkie." Rarity began, "don't get the wrong ide-"

"Of course not, Rarity!! All you need is a megariffic SUPER-PARTY!!! There'll be a giant cake! Ooooh! Ooooh! And streamers. And balloons. And an after-party!!!"

Rarity sighed as Octavia laughed beside her, though the pink mare still continued:
"I'll write invites tonight!!! Oooh, then EVERYPONY will be invited!!! It will be the BIGGEST, MOST TERRIFIC PARTY EVER!!"

"Just don't overdo it, Pinkie dear." the white mare added.

"I won't!! Cross my heart and hope to fly!! Stick a cupcake in my eye!! I'll never break a Pinkie Promise!!!"

Octavia stood up, chuckling at the pink pony. 
"Help me say hi to Vinyl for me, Pinkie," the gray pony said with a grin.

"Oh, I will!"

Rarity sighed, her hoof reaching for the button. She was about to flip it off, though Pinkie's voice suddenly chirped in before she could, her ears perking at what she said:

"Rarity?..... You'll be okay over there.... right?"

She froze on the spot, glancing at the radio at her friend's suddenly somber tone, her mind racing for a reply. Octavia stopped to look as well, slightly surprised by the pink mare's concern.
"Well um, I..." the white unicorn finally stammered. "I'll be safe. I promise."

"Pinkie Promise?"

Rarity sighed again. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. There! Happy?"

"SUPER!!"

The two mares laughed in unison, before the white mare spoke up:
"I best be going now, Pinkie Pie. It is getting a little late."

"Alright, Rarity!!" came the reply, making her smile.
The unicorn can almost imagine Pinkie Pie grinning widely at her, the pink mare herself cheerfully finishing:
"See you, oops, I mean, hear you tomorrow!"

Rarity chuckled as she turned her walkie-talkie off, letting out a relieved sigh. The soft trot of hooves soon followed, watching as Octavia headed towards her side, giving her a skeptical grin.
"And to think," her voice piped in. "You said she won't talk to you."

"Well..." the white mare shrugged.
"I guess maybe the Dreamscape thing is really getting into my mind," she stopped, letting out a nervous laugh.
"Really, Pinkie Pie hanging herself? I hope that never happens."

"I hope so as well," her friend closed her eyes as she pulled the blanket towards her from the bed.
"I can't imagine Pinkie Pie doing that, nor what Ponyville would become after that."

Rarity bit her lip, settling herself under the sheets. Her thoughts immediately focused to her bouncy, pink friend, trying to imagine her bright smile on her face, before giving a subtle reply:

"Me neither."

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Water spewed from the fountain, basking the marble structure in a dome of hailing raindrops. It was glorified only by the nocturnal rays of light shimmering through and the silence of the sleeping town; the noises that once flurried the afternoon now pacified by slumber, the tranquil scene only made Winter Palgiot sigh, the stallion himself settled on the stone bench.

His ocean-blue mane fluttered gently in the breeze. Closing his eyes, his mind slowly calmed as the moon shone a pale blue light onto his face, immersing himself into the embrace of the night, letting out a small whistle of delight.

"My name is Winter. Winter Palgiot. And yours?"

"Harmony. Harmony Peridot."

A few droplets of water trickled onto Winter's face as he finally opened his eyes. He took out a black notebook, making a few calculations as he slowly wrote in its pages with his trusty fountain pen.
It became more of a daily thing for him to do this, though he himself had scowled every once or twice at the digits before him, only making him want to toss it into the bowels of the fountain.

"Well, it isn't everyday a new face appears in Pendant Lakes."

"Oh, I'm just..... visiting."

He let out a quiet sigh. Being Patriarch was tough.
His mind soon wandered, his gaze quickly averted towards the structure of stone. There were many memories that he had of this place, though not like the one he had experienced several years ago.

"You sure you never danced before?"

"It's my first time, Sir Palgiot. Besides, I've just-"

It was the first time, he chuckled to himself. It was the first time he saw somepony beautiful.
Somepony... special.

"Please." 
"Call me Winter."

Winter stood up hesitantly, placing his notebook and pen back in his suit's side pocket. He trotted over to the fountain, a smile creeping onto his lips, that of pure nostalgia and retrospection.

"How do I look?"

"Beautiful as always, Harmony."

From his hoof he held onto a coin; a casino token, one that he had obtained during his visits to the nearby towns. He cupped his hands as he closed his eyes in prayer.

"You always say that, Winter."

"You mean I always say the truth."

Then, in one swift movement, he flicked the coin watching as it flew up, dazzling in the moonlight, before falling inside the fountain with a small splash.
He smiled with satisfaction at that, the coin slowly sinking down to join the hundreds of denizens that had already settled in the stone bottom, only reminding him of how special the fountain was to everypony here.

"The truth, huh? Well then, there's something I wanted to say. Something truthful."

"What is it?"

Winter slowly walked away, admiring Luna's full moon as he trotted away from the fountain, back to his abode.

"I love you, Winter."

He chuckled at the faint echo of her voice, feeling the breeze sweeping his mane around as he began his trek up the rocky mountain path, back to his home.
With a sigh, he muttered under his breath; a reply to the echo of the past:

"I love you too, Harmony."

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Breakfast wasn't something usual for Rarity in Palgiot Palace: she would rather go to Pendant Lakes for some pancakes instead of boring, old, Ficelle bread sticks with garlic stew.
Today, however, was different. She woke up early; too early in fact. Her sleep was restless as a result of nightmares of Spike and Pinkie Pie plaguing her at night.

The sky outside was a mediocre shade of blue, the sun slightly rising in the distance as she finished up her stew with the last sip of her spoon. Her attention quickly diverted to the soft shuffling of hooves beside her, making her look.
"More tea, miss?" A maid asked as she quickly placed the now empty bowl onto a cart.

"No thanks." Rarity gave her a grin, the maid excusing herself as she pushed the cart into the kitchen.
The white mare shook her head: the family sure knows how to pamper themselves.

She walked out into the corridor, her breath a small shiver from the chilling atmosphere of the morning. The sky outside was turning into a golden-orange scene, a flock of geese flying in the distance welcoming her to embrace the sight.
The morning air smelled heavenly, as Rarity found out from the pleasured tingle in her nostrils. She slowly strode down the stone corridors, her steps threading onto the scarlet carpet, admiring the view outside the terrace as well as the architecture.

In the distance, a light turquoise filly came into view. She pranced around, her puffy mane whisking with each dainty step, her mouth humming a delightful tune.
Rarity immediately smiled: she reminded her so much of Sweetie Belle.

She recognized her as Spring, Winter's smallest sister.

"Excuse me?" she called to the filly, who looked up with her yellow eyes. It somehow matched the sun rising outside, though the calming sight only hid her personality:

"Hi Rarity!" The small filly exclaimed, nearly scaring Rarity. She looked at her with glee, her smile widening and her cheeks puffing up as the white unicorn stumbled with her words.

"Erm, uhhh....." she murmured, before Rarity finally grasped her question.
"Spring, is it?"

The filly nodded her head gleefully.
"Yup!!"

"How did you... know my name?"

"Oh, of course I do!" Spring giggled. "It's my talent!! See?"
She turned to her side. A Cutie mark in the shape of a crystal ball stood, almost gleaming from her flank.

Rarity couldn't believe her eyes. "Your talent? Is reading other pony's minds?"

"Well, not really..." the filly replied.
"I can't control them or anything. I can just see about your life! Your past, present, future!"

A living Dreamscape machine, huh.

She gave a smile, proud at herself. "Lemme guess! Lemme guess!" she said, jumping in a circle around Rarity.

"Guess what?"

"Your friends, of course! There's Twilight, Spike, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Octavia, Vinyl Scratch, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadence, Shining Armor, Big Mac, Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, although she isn't really your friend, and there are your new friends! My brothers, my sister, Crimson Lux, our butler, it keeps going on and on and on!!!"

The white mare just gave a nervous chuckle.
"Wow, Spring. I'm... impressed!"

"Add me to that list! Please? Please? Preeetttyy Preeettttyyyy Pleeeeaaaasssseeee???"

Rarity laughed. That really sounded like herself. Herself plus Pinkie Pie.

"Sure, Spring. Sure."

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"So he was found, like this?"
Winter flipped through a few photos, grimacing with disgust at the contents that were held within. Mirror Mare had recently claimed another victim, who was found in the forests by a few hikers.
He sighed: the list of dead ponies seemed to grow by leaps and bounds everyday.

Mayor Stencil wasn't keen on it either.
"I suppose, sir," he suddenly piped up, "that you should know about this."

He showed Winter a clipboard, which contained the dead pony's biography after a few routes around the archives, which stored most, if not all, of the information of Equestria, particularly Pendant Lakes.
Winter nearly spat out his coffee, his eyes widening at the facts before him.

"What do you mean he wasn't from around here?"

"Exactly, Sir Palgiot." Mayor Stencil straightened his glasses.
"This... tourist, if I might put it, was from the esteemed Canterlot Ministry."

"I knew that!" Winter's mind grew increasingly frantic.
"Why would the Princess send him down here?"

"Perhaps the recent news had somehow leaked out from Pendant Lakes?" the mayor theorized.

"The train station blew up, literally. No train can enter Pendant Lakes, nor leave."
Winter slumped back with a sigh. "What am I suppose to tell the Princesses? That one of their trusty advisers was found dead in the alleyways?"

"I have no clue, Sir."

"She's going to have my head for this." Winter said, biting his lip.
He stood up, walking out of the room as Mayor Stencil continued piecing the photos together.

"I need some time to think this through."

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Rarity and Spring continued their jovial trot down the corridor, which was still empty except for a few guards. The white unicorn was listening attentively to the filly's random account of one of her trips out of town, a smile
"... and then my brother was like 'wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!' and we just splash inside the pool! Las Pegasus was so much fun!!!"

Rarity laughed at the filly, watching her giggle with glee.
"I sound just like Pinkie Pie!" she exclaimed.

"You sure do, silly filly! You sure do."

"Spring!"

"You're awake, Winter!"
Winter Palgiot stood a few feet in front of them, his hooves raised with a hearty chuckle, prompting Spring to scurry towards his brother.
She hugged her brother tightly, as Rarity walked up to them with a smile.

"Thank you, Rarity. For taking care of my sister."

"No problem, Winter," the white mare said, smiling at the small filly.

"Winter! Winter!" Spring jumped up and down in ecstatic excitement, trying to get his brother's attention.
"She looks like Harmony, doesn't she?!"

Winter froze as Rarity raised her eyebrow in slight skepticism, his frown quickly fading into a slight smile.
"Spring, we talked about this-"

"I know, I know! But she really, really, REALLY looks like Harmony!"

The stallion chuckled nervously at that, gently pushing the little filly forward.
"Ha-ha, Spring. Now go get breakfast," he said, before giving her a sly grin.
"Or I'll make you tidy your room."

Spring jumped immediately at that.
"I don't wanna tidy my rooooommm!!!" she hollered as she ran down the corridor.

Rarity and Winter gave a slight chuckle as the filly skidded a little, before entering the dining room.
"So tell me," Rarity quipped in interest. "who is this 'Harmony'?"

"Well," the Patriarch shuffled nervously.
"You don't really need to know..."

"But you said you'll tell me everything-"

"Well, that doesn't necessarily mean everything." Winter scowled, crossing his hooves
"I'm sorry, Miss Rarity, but this is a matter I do not want to discuss of."

Rarity just stood there, taken aback by Winter's comment as he watched the stallion march away, his head held high, which only made her let out a humph of indignation.
Well that was rude...

Her thoughts soon wandered as she continued down the majestic corridor, now pondering on the name.

Harmony, huh. Wonder who that is?

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"Isn't there anyway that you can come home?"

"I'm afraid not, Sweetie Belle. After all, the train pretty much... isn't a train anymore."

"Pinkie Pie told me you were in an accident. Are you alright?"

Rarity tried to forget about the explosion; the explosion that nearly costed her life.
"I'm fine now, Sweetie Belle." she said with a grin, before hearing Fluttershy's tender voice through the speakers:

"You alright there, Rarity?"

A click sounded, signaling one of her friends has joined them.
"Did Ah miss anything?"

"Applejack! It's great to hear your voice again."

"Why, howdy Rarity." the orange mare greeted.
"You alright over there? The explosion was in the news today."

She hated them saying that. The news of the explosion was already widespread across Equestria, reaching the headlines all over the nation.
"I'm fine, although I'm a little bit worried about it right now."

"I was suppose to board that train." Rarity continued with a shudder.
"Got thrown in the explosion."

Fluttershy and Applejack immediately gasped, a tirade of questions soon followed.
"Are you alright? Were you really hurt?"

"Luckily, no." the white mare assured them. She didn't dare mention that she was the intended target.
"A few bruises here and there, but I'm alright now."

"Well, that's a relief," Applejack's voice crackled through the walkie-talkie.
"Sorry Ah ain't keeping up with stuff around here. Been busy applebucking a few trees here and there."

"Oh yes." Fluttershy's voice squeaked. "You should've seen how many apples she has."

"Tell me when I come home." Rarity said with a chuckle, before her thoughts immediately wandered, the thought of it starting to make her worry.
With hesitation, she mustered up her courage and asked:
"How's Spike?"

"Well, Spike's doing fine. In fact, the doctor said he's stirring a little already," the yellow pegasus replied.
She gave a huge sigh of relief, before Applejack questioned:

"Why'd ya ask, Rarity?"

"Well," Rarity bit her lip. "some part of me made me think that Spike isn't going to make it, much less wake at all."
It was the Dreamscape thing actually, she said to herself, but she didn't want her friends to worry.

"Why, Rarity." Applejack suddenly laughed, though the white mare could hear her friend's concern.
"You think too much!"

"I know, right?" the white mare continued with a soft chuckle.
"I mean, Pinkie Pie trying to hang herself? What kind of nightmare is that?"

There was an immediate long pause, before Applejack's voice piped with cynicism.
"Pinkie Pie? Hanging herself?"

"It was only a nightmare, Applejack." Rarity assured her, hoping not to upset her friends.

"Well, Ah'm glad it is." the orange mare finally replied as Rarity gave out a sigh of relief.
"After all, why in tarnation would she do that for?"

"I don't know," Rarity replied with a bite of her lip. "but I'm sure she has no reason to."

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The town was busier than normal, which was already saying something seeing how the streets were filled with ponies every day. Among them, Rarity, Octavia and Crimson, still with his crutches, were walking down Starlet Avenue.
They've just finished a little window shopping, settling down at a nearby cafe for a drink.

"What do you want, miss?"

"Two cups of strawberry punch and to my little friend here," Octavia said, patting Crimson's mane.
"One small cup of chamomile tea."

The waitress nodded with a smile as she quickly wrote their orders. 
When she left them, Crimson quickly hissed: "Seriously , 'Tavi?"

Octavia chuckled as her coltfriend continued: "You're going to tease me every time we're with Rarity?"

"It's a figure of speech, Crimson de la creme." she said with a wink.

Crimson groaned as Rarity laughed. "Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse..."

"But Crimson," Octavia whined. "You've done worse to me."
"Remember the time?" she reminded Crimson. "you called me Octi?"

Rarity choked on her tea, bursting out laughing as Octavia rolled her eyes.

"Sheesh, 'Tavi," Crimson said. "It was our first date. How would I know what to call you."

"Well, at least Tavia is better," she gave Crimson a nudge. "Octi sounded more like octopus."

"I'm sorry, my lady, but at that time, my mind doesn't sing to that 'octave'." the singer said with a grin.

"Oh really? And here I was note-ifying you about our time together." Octavia replied with a sly smile.

"Seriously guys, stop!" Rarity said, trying to cover her laugh. "You two are as cute as... how should I put it..."

Octavia and Crimson looked at each other, blushing as they finished the sentence.

"Two notes in a line?"

All three ponies burst out in laughter as the waitress arrived with their drinks.
"Here's your tea, sir. And your punch, ladies."

Rarity gave her a 'thank you' as her friend paid the waitress.

"I must admit," Crimson shifted slightly in his seat. "I don't mind living here."
"What do you mean, Crimson?" Octavia asked.

"The mix of old and new, the flair around the town." Crimson said as he drank his tea. "The beauty of the landscape, the charming landmarks around. The streets all look Austrian, and I've been to Austria before."
"Yeah, with exploding trains, murder and the like?" Octavia replied disagreeably. "I can't wait to go home to Ponyville."

"Cheer up, Octavia. I didn't say I was going to stay here." the singer said with a sigh. "We can just stay at those nearby hotels, like on a honeymoon or something."

Octavia blushed as Rarity stood up. "Well then, I'll leave you two to your future, romance plans of yours. While I'll go for a little stroll." she said teasingly.

Rarity trotted towards the fountain, chuckling at the couple as they continue chatting. She felt a slight breeze in the air, the cloudy skies making the air cool with moisture.

She felt something snap, as the wind suddenly died down without warning.
"Wha-"

The water stopped falling, frozen in air as Rarity looked around in horror.
This is not happening...

"Well, well, well..."
A cloaked pony walked up to her, brandishing a dagger.

"You really need to stop ruining the fun more often."

Rarity gasped, staring at a white and black-halved mask, its lips stitched.

Mirror Mare!

"Really, Little Miss Rarity." the pony said with a chuckle.
"I've always wondered how you'd done it."

Rarity mustered up her courage. "You won't get away with this!"

"Oh! The beauty just became the beast!"

She felt it's voice stabbing through her as the pony laughed at her. The voice...
It sounded so... feminine.

"Tell me, Mirror Mare," Rarity challenged the masked pony. "What are you really?"

"Asking me about myself and I? How absolutely marvelous!" it cackled.

"I am," the masked pony readied its dagger.

"Nothing."

Rarity felt the pony whizzing through her, a small cut on her face. Blood seeped from it as she felt the blade scratching against her skin.

She gasped in horror. "Why you wretched, selfish-"
She charged headfirst, giving Mirror Mare a sudden kick.

The masked pony stumbled backwards, stunned by her sudden movement.

"I'm surprised, Miss Rarity." Mirror Mare chuckled. "You are the first pony that ever laid a single hoof on me."
"And for that, I'm gonna let you go."

Rarity stood stunned, but something clicked in her mind.
"Oh yeah? You're going to let me go? Like you did with Caesar?"

Mirror Mare shifted to the right. "Caesar was different. He was a runner. You, my lady, are a fighter."
"And you've earned my respect."

The masked pony sheathed its blade, as the stitched mask intimidated Rarity with every turn.

"I must admit, I regret about the bomb in your luggage."

Rarity's gritted her teeth. She buckled her hooves.

"It seems fate had decided Tiki to join the ride instead, though. So I'm okay with it."

Her eyes seethed with rage as she felt adrenaline rush through her body.

"And, Spike, is it?"

Her ears perked up. "What about Spike?"

"Well, it seems you have an interest in him, this dragon."
Rarity tried not to think of Spike, but images of him kept cascading through her mind.

"Let's just say I paid him a.... visit."

Rarity's eyes widened in shock. "You! You're the one that made... that ... he-"
Her voice began to falter as she became clouded by the thoughts of Mirror Mare attacking the dragon.

"Not. My. Spikey-Wikey!!"

She galloped towards Mirror Mare, who readied its dagger.
Rarity's hooves landed onto the cloaked pony's mask, cracking it slightly.

A small side of the mask began shattering, revealing a shade of light-pink skin underneath.

"Bravo, Rarity. Bravo!!"
Mirror Mare applauded as Rarity looked at her, confused.

Didn't Winter say Mirror Mare was an 'it'?

"I would stay here and continue our 'playdate'," the masked pony said. "but I'll be running off now."
Mirror Mare's body started cracking, as Rarity saw it fade into pieces.

"In the meantime," its cold voice continued. "Go check the fountain."

"I've placed something more than a coin there."

Rarity stopped. "What do you mean 'more than a coin'?"

Time seemed to resume as ponies around started moving. The pigeons started flying as the wind picked up. Water continued its steady flow from the fountain.

"The fountain!" Rarity said. She quickly rushed to the marble structure, looking into its deep, sparkling pool.

What she saw horrified her.

Two ponies lay gagged at the bottom of the fountain, struggling in the water, their manes flowing as bubbles of air floated from their mouths. Their eyes widened in fear as all four hooves are chained tightly, a heart-shaped lock sealing it tight.

Both chains connect to a giant, iron weight resting at the bottom of the fountain. Beside them lay a glinting key.

"Octavia!! Crimson!!"

The couple quickly rushed towards her side, with Crimson trying his best to run with his crutches.
"Rarity, what is it that you-" Octavia began but stopped short at the scene before her.

"Oh Celestia!"

Without thinking, Rarity dove in. She swam towards the bottom of the fountain, reaching for the key.

Octavia joined soon after, as Crimson shouted for help.

Rarity swam towards one of the ponies, checking to see if he were alive. She recognized the pony!

It was Basil Luck, the famed shoe designer! He let out muffled cries as bubbles of oxygen floated to the surface.

Rarity removed the cloth from his mouth, as she began fumbling at the lock. Water speared into her eyes as she tried to focus in the blue.

Beside Basil, Octavia tried to comfort the other pony, Harlequin Velvet, as she urged her friend to speed it up.

More ponies soon helped, jumping in with a loud splash as the fountain became filled with swimming ponies, all trying to lift the weight, without any luck.

Rarity swam to the surface, taking a gulp of air as she dived back down.

After a few seconds, she heard a click, as Basil freed himself from the tangle of chains, swimming up into the air.
Crimson helped him up, ignoring his weak hind hooves as Basil fell to the floor, gasping for air.

"Please...." he pleaded between pants. "Save... my wife."

Harlequin's eyes widened in shock as Rarity swam forward, the key in her hand.

She began fumbling with the lock, nervously trying to solve the intricate lock.
"Hurry, Rarity!" Octavia mouthed.

Harlequin began blacking out, as Octavia swam up, gasping for air.
The clicking of tumblers sounded, as Rarity and the other ponies lifted Harlequin up into fresh air.

Basil quickly rushed to his wife, his mane wet and damp as he shook his wife's hoof.

"Harlequin! Harlequin!! Answer me, dear!" he shouted, trying to stir her up.
His wife lay still, motionless.

"Harlequin!! Answer me!! Answer me Celestia!" Basil stumbled backwards, starting to cry as Crimson knelt down to comfort him.
Rarity reached around Harlequin's hoof, trying to detect for a pulse.

"So?" Octavia asked frantically, "is she alive?"

Rarity felt her stomach twinge. She brush her damp mane away as everypony else awaited the answer.

"I'm sorry, Basil," she said with a tear in her eye. Basil started weeping and moaning, burying his face in Crimson's mane.

"She didn't make it...."